Trolls: New Adventures
by CJ Ambrose
Summary: Although Poppy was able to help Branch get his color and happiness back, the newly-crowned Queen wonders what else can be done for her fellow Trolls, and the now reformed Bergens, as well as the both of them realizing certain feelings for each other.
1. Prologue

**Trolls: New Adventures**

 **Chapter 1 - Prologue**

 _ **Author's Note - DreamWorks and FOX are the rightful owners of the TROLLS movie.**_

 _ **Also, I really enjoyed this movie after seeing it, so I felt like writing a fanfic story. For now, it'll stay here, but (hopefully) when they make a FF archive for the movie, I'll move it to there**_

 _ **With that being said, enjoy the 1st chapter!**_

 _ **#############**_

 _I got this feeling inside my bones_

All the Bergens (except for Bridget and Gristle Jr.) paused in awe and confusion as they watched Poppy begin to sing.

 _It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on_

Then, Branch began to sing along with her.

 _And if you want it_

 _Inside your soul_

 _Just open up your heart_

 _Let music take control_

Pretty soon after that, the rest of their friends (like Biggie, DJ Suki, and Cooper) began singing, as well.

 _I got that sunshine in my pocket_

 _Got that good soul in my feet_

 _I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops, ooh_

 _I can't take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally_

 _Room on lock the way we rock it, so don't stop_

 _And under the lights when everything goes_

 _Nowhere to hide when I'm getting you close_

 _When we move, well, you already know_

Then, the rest of the trolls began to bring color and joy around the entire room.

 _So just imagine, just imagine, just imagine_

 _Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance_

Poppy paused her singing, for a moment, to use her hands and hair in getting the Bergens to dance along and feel the happiness growing inside them.

 _Feeling good, good, creeping up on you_

 _So just dance, dance, dance, come on_

 _All those things I shouldn't do_

 _But you dance, dance, dance_

 _And ain't nobody leaving soon, so keep dancing_

 _I can't stop the feeling_

 _So just dance, dance, dance_

 _I can't stop the feeling_

 _So just dance, dance, dance, come on_

Seeing that her plan was now ruined, Chef made her way towards the group of singing trolls, holding up a pair of sharp knives.

With a gasp, Bridget then frowned as she tossed a wooden spoon at the villainous Bergen, who quickly ended up getting lemon squirted in her eyes and falling into her own wheeled cooking pot.

" _Aaaaaagggghhhhhh!"_ Chef screamed, as well as Creek, who was still in her pouch.

Then, the pot was sent flying out of the castle, as well as Bergen Town, but not before Cooper set a fire inside.

 _I can't stop the, I can't stop the_

 _I can't stop the, I can't stop the_

 _I can't stop the feeling_

As the sun rose up in the sky, Poppy and Branch led everyone out of the castle, followed by the now-happy Bergens, and as they all danced around, colorful art appeared everywhere throughout the town.

 _Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance_

 _(I can't stop the feeling)_

 _Feeling good, good, creeping up on you_

 _So just dance, dance, dance, come on_

 _(I can't stop the feeling)_

 _All those things I shouldn't do_

 _But you dance, dance, dance_

 _(I can't stop the feeling)_

 _And ain't nobody leaving soon, so keep dancing_

Even the Troll tree was restored to its rightful and now-more beautiful state.

 _Everybody sing_

 _(I can't stop the feeling)_

 _Got this feeling in my body_

 _(I can't stop the feeling)_

 _Got this feeling in my body_

 _(I can't stop the feeling)_

 _Wanna see you move your body_

 _(I can't stop the feeling)_

 _Got this feeling in my body_

Then, in the center of the town, all of the Trolls and Bergens watched with happiness and joy as Poppy's father placed a crown on her head.

"Our new queen!" Peppy exclaimed, much to Poppy's own surprise and joy.

Everyone applauded for her, and Branch walked over to Poppy, about to say something when the two of them felt the ground begin to shake.

Looking down, they saw a grinning Smidge, who used his hair to send their platform straight up into the sky!

As they looked down for a moment, seeing the beauty of the now-colorful Bergen Town, Branch said, "Hey, I know that it's not officially hug time yet, but..."

He opened his arms, inviting her for a hug, but Poppy had a few words to say first.

"Now that I am Queen, I decree that hug time... is all the time."

And with that, the pink troll and blue troll gave each other a warm hug... for a few seconds, anyway.

Feeling another pair of hands wrap around them, Poppy and Branch let go of each other to turn around and see Cloud Guy.

"Up high!" He exclaimed, raising his arms, waiting for a high-five.

The two trolls looked at each other, a smug smile on both of their faces.

 _Whack!_

 _"Haha, all right!"_ Cloud Guy cried, who was now off of the platform they were on.

As he went back down, Poppy asked, "Shall we continue?"

"Fine by me," replied Branch, and the two of them resumed their hug.

 _ **###############**_

 _Later that night..._

"Wait, why are we back here again, Gristle?" asked Bridget.

The Bergen King had brought his new girlfriend to the same pizza parlor/arcade/skating rink they had spent their first "date" at... or, at least, when she had pretended to be someone else.

"Well, cause, um, heh," chuckled Gristle. "I wanted to enjoy a night with you... just being you."

Bridget felt her cheeks starting to heat up, but she was also glad that he was liking her for the sweet and kind Bergen that she was.

 _I walked over got this sunlight_

 _Ain't got time to listen to any shade, yeah_

"Why are we here again?" Branch asked.

He and Poppy were standing on top of a table, watching the two Bergens enjoy their date with each other.

"Cause I want to see the two of them finally be able to kiss with no interruptions," replied Poppy.

Branch just rolled his eyes.

 _The wind on my pony, top-down, alright_

 _Ain't got time to let them darken my flame, that's right_

 _So light the fireworks_

 _Sing like no one's hurt_

 _Dance, it's us against the world_

 _Oh, they don't know, they don't know, they don't know, they don't know about us_

 _They don't know, they don't know, they don't know, they don't know about what we do_

Bridget and Gristle paused their skating to look at each other, their eyes sparkling and hearts beating fast as they slowly moved towards each other.

 _Yeah it's true, I could have all this but I'm good if I got you_

Poppy's eyes were becoming wide every passing second while Branch simply shook his head, chuckling.

 _They don't know, they don't know, they don't know, they don't know about…_

However, before they could kiss, both of their stomachs growled loudly.

"Oops," apologized Gristle. "Um, lunch break?"

"Sure, I'd love that," replied Bridget.

As they walked away, Branch stood up, and said, "Okay, well, we tried to see it so-"

"Wait a sec there, Branch, that don't mean this night has to end."

"What do you mea-" He paused his sentence when he realized what she meant.

"Come on, Branch, let's go!" Poppy cried, pulling him towards the ice rink by taking him by the end.

"Wait a second, Poppy!"

 _You act so lonely, catch that feeling_

 _So hold onto it for as long as you can_

 _We could run away, to only where we know_

 _Boy I got plans, hey_

 _So light the fireworks_

 _Sing like no one's hurt_

 _Dance, it's us against the world_

A while later, Gristle and Bridget were eating a delicious meal together while Poppy was helping Branch overcome his momentary fear of skating

"Look, I told you already that - waaaaahhhh!" Branch yelled

 _Oh, they don't know, they don't know, they don't know, they don't know about us_

 _They don't know, they don't know, they don't know, they don't know about what we do_

 _Yeah it's true, I could have all this but I'm good if I got you_

 _They don't know, they don't know, they don't know, they don't know about_


	2. Work Day, Part 1

**Trolls: New Adventures**

 _Chapter 2 - Work Day, Part 1_

 _Author's Note: DreamWorks is the rightful owner of "Trolls", while I only own the story._

 _###################_

A few days later, all of the Trolls were busy creating their new homes inside of the Troll Tree, since they no longer needed to live at the no-longer-secret village.

Queen Poppy was currrently walking around, performing her "royal duties" as she made sure everyone was working, but also enjoying themselves.

"All right, everyone, looking good!" Poppy cried out. "If we keep things at this rate, all of us should be able to sleep inside our brand new homes!

"And if you can, help out those who might need some so that they don't have to catch up later on. Like we always say..."

 _"No troll left behind!"_ yelled every one of the Trolls.

"Isn't this great, Mr. Dinkles?" asked Biggie, looking at the small creature in his arms. "We could make a bigger wall for all the photos of us!"

 _"Hooray!"_ said Mr. Dinkles, a smile on his face.

As for Poppy, she started to hum a song while skipping around the new village, but then, she stopped in front of a blue and already-completed house.

It was actually Branch's new home, and right now, the blue troll was sleeping peacefully in his bed, having a wonderful dream about-

 _Knock-knock-knock!_

 _"Branch! Branch! Branch!"_

The young Troll groaned, and he said, "Some of us prefer to sleep in, Poppy, not wake up all bright-eyed with a smile on their face."

"Aw, come on, Branch, everyone's working on their homes! You could help!"

Rolling his eyes, Branch replied, "I would, Poppy, but the fact is that I stayed up all night adding the finishing touches to this place, and I think I deserve a rest."

"You can rest when everyone else is done, okay? Please, Branch, all our friends are out here!"

Branch was about to respond back when he noticed the framed photos on his nightstand.

It was a group photo, and aside from himself and Poppy, there was also Biggie, DJ Suki, Cooper, the Twins, and Guy Diamond, as well as Bridget and Gristle.

There was also one of him as a child Troll, standing by his grandmother, and one of just him and Poppy, sharing a hug together.

 _Maybe she's right,_ thought Branch.

So, he got up, and he began to walk towards the door, ready to open it and-

 _Wham!_

The door suddenly swung wide open, smacking against the wall, and Poppy entered the house, saying, "Oops, forgot that you gave me an extra key!"

She then put the key-necklace back around her neck, and looked for her best friend.

"Branch? Where did you go? You making a new bunker or something?"

As the door swung back shut, it showed a now-flattened Branch, who said, "I'm wishing I was."

Poppy giggled, and walked over to him. "I got this!"

"Wait, what are you-" began Branch, but before he could finish, Poppy peeled him off the door ( _"Owwwww!"),_ and then, she started blowing air inside of him, like one would blow air into a balloon.

" _Aaaand done!"_ She cried, watching as the now-back-to-normal Branch stood up, rubbing his head and shoulders.

" _Never_ do that again," said Branch. "And you couldn't have waited another minute for me to open the door?"

Poppy shrugged, saying, "Sorry, I just thought you'd still be asleep."

"Why would I be... nope, never mind," replied Branch. "Let's start helping our friends."

"That's the spirit!" said Poppy, her face beaming with happiness.

Branch chuckled, and he began to head out of the house, with Poppy about to follow when she noticed a type of flower by a door across from his bed.

"What do we got here?" wondered Poppy, as she walked over for a closer look.

"Poppy?" Branch asked, seeing that she wasn't following him. "What are you... _(gasp) don't open that!"_

The rest of the flower was stuck in between the closed door, so Poppy began to pull it back, and by the time Branch had reached her, it was already too late.

 _Oh, crud..._

Poppy was speechless as she saw the pile of stuff that was now in front of her.

"You... kept... all of them?"

It was all of the invitations that Branch had ever recieved, most of them from Poppy, and the rest by their friends.

"Um... I... that... those..." said Branch, trying to find the right thing to say.

"And I thought you ripped this up?" She asked, holding the invitation in her hands that she had given him on the day that their lives had changed.

Branch felt his face turn a darker blue as he said, "Poppy, I was... that just... um... _oof!"_

He stopped talking after Poppy suddenly gave him a warm hug.

"What was that for?" He asked, once she released him.

"To stop you from talking," replied Poppy. "And cause I'm really touched that you kept all these."

"Yeah, well, I... just... wanted to try and be happy in some way," shrugged Branch.

Poppy smiled, and there was a moment of silence before Branch said, " _Okay,_ so... don't we have some Trolls to help?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, right," chuckled Poppy, as she put the invitations back in the closet, but in a more nicer and organized way.

As she walked out of the house, closing the front door, Branch looked back at the closet door, still smiling.

Then, he began to head outside, ready to help out-

 _Whack!_

"Everything okay, Branch?"

The blue (and, once again, flattened) troll coughed a few times before saying, "Peachy..."

Seeing Branch on the door, Poppy smirked, and said, "Oh, all right, let's do this again!"


	3. Work Day, Part 2

**Trolls: New Adventures**

 _Chapter 3 - Work Day, Part 2_

 _Author's Note: "Trolls" is owned by DreamWorks Animation. I just own the story._

 _#############_

"Thanks so much for helping out, Branch," said Biggie, who was painting the front-side of his new house.

With a few nails in his mouth, Branch nodded his head as he started to finish the work on his friend's roof.

So far, the young troll had helped as many of his fellow Trolls as he possibly could, and he was hoping for Biggie to be the last.

"And, um, not to sound like a mean friend," added Biggie. "But I am actually surprised that you're even out here."

Taking the nails out of his mouth, Branch asked, "What are you talking about? We're friends, aren't we?"

"Oh, yes, of course," replied Biggie. "It's just that, um... well, sometimes, we're still used to you being the way you were before, er, all of this happened."

Understanding now what he meant, Branch said, "Oh... right... I wasn't really good to everyone, was I?"

"Well, not exactly _all_ the time," chuckled Biggie. " _But_ the past is the past, and we've all moved on."

Branch chuckled, and said, "You can say that again..."

"Huh?"

"Well, ever since the day we came back to the Troll Tree," explained Branch. "Poppy's been helping me make amends with those that I've not exactly been nice to in the past."

"Sweet!" Mr. Dinkles said, giving Branch a smile.

Biggie nodded his head in agreement. "That must have felt really good, then, making all new friends!"

"Well, it was a little awkward in the beginning..." admitted Branch.

"Oh? How so?"

 _ **(Flashback)**_

 _"Seriously, Poppy, all of them?" exclaimed Branch, in a hushed tone._

 _"What? You said you wanted to apologize," replied Poppy, not understanding what she was doing wrong._

 _"Yes, but I was going to do it one-by-one, or over the week, not all together in a single day!"_

 _A few away from the two of them were three groups of Trolls that had all thrown a special event in the past (a birthday party, wedding party, and a funeral gathering)._

 _However, they had been ruined by Branch, who'd crashed them all by yelling about the Bergens coming._

 _"Oh, come on, this way it'll be like ripping off a band aid," replied Poppy. "Just get it all over with."_

 _"That doesn't even... aaaagghhh, fine," grumbled Branch, as he walked over to the first group._

 _Clearing his throat, the blue troll said, "I'm sorry for crashing your birthday party, and ruining the cake."_

 _Everyone smiled, and nodded their heads, accepting his apology._

 _Branch then walked over to the second group. "I'm sorry for ruining your special wedding celebration, and messing up your cake."_

 _The newlyweds, as well as the guests they had invited, also accepted his apology, and Branch smiled._

 _As for Poppy, she was also smiling, proud of what her best friend was doing._

 _So, now, Branch was in front of the last group, and he said, "I'm sorry for ruining your grieving ceremony, and messing up the cake."_

 _"Branch..."_

 _"Ok, for accidentally opening up the casket."_

 _The group of trolls nodded their heads, and as they walked away, Poppy went over to Branch. "Easy, right?"_

 _ **(Present Time)**_

"And, there we go," said Branch, standing up as he admired his handy-work.

After Biggie helped him get down, the large Troll gave him a hug. "Thanks again, Branch!"

"No problem, big guy," chuckled Branch, returning the hug.

Once they let go of each other, Biggie picked up Mr. Dinkles, and said, "All right, my friend, let's start putting up those photos!"

 _"Hooray!"_ squeaked Mr. Dinkles.

With a smile on his face, Biggie entered his new home... just as Poppy came over to see how things were going.

"Like I always say..." started Poppy.

"Yeah, yeah, no Troll left behind," finished Branch. "Now, if you don't mind, Poppy, I would like to rest for a while before we-"

"Ooh, wait, not yet," interrupted Poppy. "There's just one more thing."

Confused, Branch was silent as she brought him over to a table, which had a special-decorated cake on it.

"Umm..."

Poppy smiled, and said, "I figured you deserved something for all the nice things you've done these past few days, so I baked you a cake."

Branch smiled, as well, and replied, "Wow... thanks, Poppy."

"No problem," replied the Queen of Trolls. "And after you eat some, then you can go take-"

However, before she could finish, a Troll suddenly came from out of nowhere, and stopped in between the two of them.

"The Bergens are coming! _Aaauuughhh!_ " He cried, and shoved Branch into the special cake, knocking both it and the table down.

As the Troll ran away, Poppy looked down at Branch, who let out a groan. "I should have seen that coming."

A few minutes later, the two of them were out in front of the Troll Tree, finding themselves looking at King Gristle, Jr. and Bridget, his new girlfriend.

"How you doing, your highness?" Branch asked, looking up at their new friend.

"I'm doing all right, thanks," chuckled Gristle.

"Hiya, Bridget!" Poppy cried out, waving at the former scullery maid. "What's up?"

Bridget smiled, and said, "I'm fine, Poppy... we actually wanted to ask you two something."

"Really?" Branch and Poppy said, together. "What is it?"

"Well, we were wondering if you two would like to join us at our amusement park," replied Gristle. "It could be, like, a-"

"A double date!" finished Bridget, smiling widely. "Wouldn't that be fun?"

Neither of the Trolls responded to them, at first... Poppy's face was lit up with surprise and joy, while Branch was shocked and almost horrified.


	4. Yes or No

**Trolls: New Adventures**

 _Chapter 4 - Yes or No_

 _Author's Note: DreamWorks is the rightful owner of "Trolls", while I just own the story._

 _############_

"Um, how long is he going to be like that?" Bridget asked.

She was referring to Branch, who was still frozen with a look of horror and shock.

"Um, I don't know," replied Poppy.

Gristle said, "Er, well, anyway, so what do you think about a double date?"

Before she could respond, Branch's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he yelled, "Hide the coconuts!"

 _"Ahem..."_

Realizing what was going on, the troll gulped, and cleared his throat. "I mean, we'll think about it#&&

"All right, then, great," chuckled Gristle. "See you two later!"

The two trolls waved good-bye to their new friends, but once they were back in the tree, Poppy knew that something was up with Branch.

"Hey, you okay?"

The blue troll sighed, and said, "Yeah, uh, great... it's just that I don't do dates."

"Huh?" Poppy asked, confused.

Brach replied, "You know, a day where trolls that... care very much about each other... they spend the time together, and-"

"So is there singing?" Poppy asked.

"Well, sometimes,' replied Branch. "Wait, don't you know what a date is?"

"Well _, duh,_ of course I know what that is," said Poppy, crossing her arms.

Branch raised an eyebrow. "I don't mean the thing on a calendar."

"Oh... well, then, you lost me."

The blue troll looked surprised. "Really? I always thought... I mean... never mind..."

But now Poppy was curious. "Have _you_ been on a date before, Branch?"

"No, and I don't plan to," said Branch, as he began to head back to his house.

"Why don't you wanna go?" asked Poppy, following him. "They're our friends, too, Branch!"

"Yes, I know, Poppy," sighed Branch. "But if we go on a double date, that'll mean you... that..."

He began to walk faster, but Poppy kept at his pace. "What, you don't want me to be a date or something?"

Branch stopped, for a moment, as he began to blush a darker blue. "It's not _that,_ Poppy... I just..."

"You've had a bad experience with them?"

The blue troll sighed, and replied, "That's sort of right... and yours should be memorable, with someone you care a lot about..."

He turned to look at a pond nearby, and gazed down to see his reflection, which (to him) was himself back when he was still grey and grumpy.

"Not someone like me..."

Poppy sighed, and said, "Branch... you aren't the way you used to be anymore."

"Well, what if I am?" Branch asked.

"You're not."

"And how would you know that?"

"Because I just do," replied Poppy, who was also starting to blush. "You know what? You need to dance."

Branch looked at her, and said, "Say what now?"

"You'll feel better, trust me," replied Poppy.

"I fail to see how, Poppy," retorted Branch.

The Troll Queen rolled her eyes, but a smile was on her face as she then started to sing.

 _Don't think about it_

 _Just move your body_

 _Listen to the music_

 _Sing, oh, ey, oh_

 _Oh, great,_ thought Branch, even though he was starting to smile.

As for Poppy, she continued singing her song.

 _Just move those left feet_

 _Go ahead, get crazy_

 _Anyone can do it_

 _Sing, oh, ey, oh_

 _Show the world you've got that fire_

 _Feel the rhythm getting louder_

 _Show the room what you can do_

 _Prove to them you got the moves_

 _I don't know about you,_

 _But I feel better when I'm dancing, yeah, yeah_

 _Better when I'm dancing, yeah, yeah_

 _And we can do this together_

 _I bet you feel better when you're dancing, yeah, yeah_

Branch began chuckling as Poppy danced around, by, and in front of him.

 _When you finally let go_

 _And you slay that solo_

 _Cause you listen to the music_

 _Sing, oh, ey, oh_

 _'Cause you're confident, babe_

 _And you make your hips sway_

Branch's eyebrows raised up, surprised, and began to blush more.

 _We knew that you could do it_

 _Sing, oh, ey, oh_

 _Show the world you've got that fire_

 _Feel the rhythm getting louder_

 _Show the room what you can do_

 _Prove to them you got the moves_

 _I don't know about you,_

 _But I feel better when I'm dancing, yeah, yeah_

 _Better when I'm dancing, yeah, yeah_

 _And we can do this together_

 _I bet you feel better when you're dancing, yeah, yeah_

She then paused her singing, and offered a hand for him to join her.

Branch chuckled, but shook his head, mouthing the word "no".

Poppy then gave him "puppy dog" eyes, and after a few minutes, Branch finally took her hand, with both of them dancing close together.

 _(Background)_

 _I feel better when I'm dancing_

 _I'm better when I'm dancing, aye, oh ey oh_

 _Don't you know_

 _We can do this together_

 _Bet you feel better when you're dancing, yeah, yeah_

When they stopped in front of his house, the two of them also realized how close they were, and quickly broke apart from each other.

"See?" Poppy replied, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Told you it works."

"Um, yeah, sure," said Branch. "Well, just... give me time to think about it, okay?"

Poppy nodded her head, and said, "Sure, Branch... I'll come by later so we can leave together."

As she hummed happily to herself while skipping away, Branch said, "Wait, I didn't say that... we... all right..."

When Poppy was long gone, Branch chuckled, and thought, _Wow, Grandma, she is really something else, huh?_

Then, after going into his house, Branch was about to get himself a drink when he noticed one of Poppy's hair bands on the floor.

"Huh, now how did this get up here?"

Looking at the door, Branch started walking up towards it, but then, he stopped moving, and shook his head.

 _Oh, no, no, no, no... I ain't falling for that again..._

Branch waited another moment before nodding his head, and walked over to the door, Poppy's hair br-

 _Wham!_

"Oh, hey, Branch, I think I might have let- _*gasp*_ I found it, Branch, thanks!"

 _Wham!_

The door was now closed, but Branch was currently laid up against the wall.

"She really needs to stop doing that," grumbled the blue troll.


	5. Preparation

Trolls: New Adventures

 _Chapter 5 - Preparation_

 _Author's Note: DreamWorks Animation is the rightful owner._

 _##############_

 _"Well, aren't you a happy little troll?" Grandma Rosiepuff said, as she noticed how joyful her little grandson was. "Did something happen today?"_

 _"Yep, I saw the princess for the first time," replied Young Branch, who was holding a flower in his hand. "I think I want to ask her to be my friend!"_

 _As she continued to do laundry, the elderly troll smiled at Branch, and said, "Good for you, little one... it's never too late to start making new friends. You two could even have a playdate!"_

 _"Grandma..." chuckled Young Branch, even though he was starting to blush. "She's a princess."_

 _"So?" His grandmother said. "She's still a girl that can be your first playdate friend."_

 _"_ _Grandma..._ _" Young Branch began to blush even more, feeling a little embarrassed._

 _"Oh, I'm just teasing you," laughed Grandma Rosiepuff. "Go on, then, have fun!"_

 _Young Branch nodded, and said, "I will, but first, I feel like singing!"_

 _So, he went up to the edge of the branch that they were on, and started to sing._

 _ **And I need you now tonight**_

 _ **And I need you more than ever**_

 _ **And if you only hold me tight**_

 _ **We'll be holding on forever**_

 _ **And we'll only be making it right**_

 _ **'Cause we'll never be wrong**_

 _"Branch!"_

 _He stopped singing, and turned around to see a giant Bergen reaching her hand out to grab him!_

 _But then, he felt someone push him away, and after landing on the ground, Young Branch looked up to see the Bergen leaving, except she was now holding -_

 _"Grandma!"_

 _As time went on, and realizing that his grandmother was gone, a saddened Branch was silent as his skin and hair color went from light to dark._

 _Once upon a time there was light in his life_

 _But now there's only love in the dark_

 _Nothing we can say_

 _A total eclipse of the heart_

 _"What the...?"_

Branch found himself waking up, and what he saw next made him scream.

"Whoa, hey, Branch, relax, it's just us!"

Poppy, Biggie, and Cooper, as well as Mr. Dinkles, were all standing a few feet away from his bed.

"What... who... how...?" Branch said, unable to find the right words to say.

"We heard you singing the song from outside," replied Poppy, and Branch noticed the key necklace she wearing. "So, we just wanted to make sure you were okay."

The blue troll sighed, and said, "Thanks, guys, I'm fine... a little surprised, but fine... and why were you all singing?"

"Hey, when we hear a song we know," explained Cooper. "We always join in, no matter how sad or happy it may be."

"And besides, me and Cooper and Mr. Dinkles are gonna house-sit for you," added Biggie.

"Oh, okay, great," mumbled Branch, as he got out of bed. "Wait... house sit?"

Biggie nodded his head. "Yeah, since you helped us out today with finishing our homes, we figured we'd return the favor by taking care of yours!"

Branch looked over at Poppy, who had an expression that meant "come on, it'll mean a lot to them", so the blue troll said, "Um, okay, thanks."

" _All right, party time!"_ sang Cooper, but when he noticed Branch's freaked out expression, the giraffe-like friend said, "My bad, man, force of habit. You can trust us."

" _Yeah!"_ squeaked Mr. Dinkles.

Branch chuckled, and said, "All right, but you mind stepping outside for a bit so I can get ready?"

"No prob, man, do your thing," replied Cooper, and he left the house, followed by Biggie and Mr. Dinkles.

Then, there was a moment of silence before Branch said, "That means you too, Poppy."

"Oops, yeah, totally forgot, heh, heh," said the pink troll, also leaving. "Just come out when you're ready."

"Don't worry, I will," replied Branch, his body still feeling a little sore.

Poppy smiled, and after she was gone, Branch waited a moment before going into the food pantry, and taking out a watermelon.

Then, he set it down on the ground, and rolled it towards the door.

Once the fruit reached the door, Branch sighed in relief, and went over to pick it up, glad that-

 _Wham!_

"Oh, good, that was just the closet door," chuckled Branch. "That would've been really mes-"

 _Wham!_

 _"Oh, snap!"_

 _*gasp* "Mr. Dinkles! You just talked! Again!"_

"Branch!" Poppy cried, looking around the house. "You okay? I heard something!"

The blue troll groaned, and said, "Was it my bones breaking, the pantry door closing, or the smashed watermelon that I am now covered in?"

Turning to look behind the door, Poppy gasped, and said, "Oh, gosh, I am _so sorry,_ I didn't know that you were there!"

Wiping the juice and seeds off his face, Branch said, "I figured... you can go back outside now."

"Don't you want me to help you clean up?"

The blue troll shook his head. "I got this, Poppy... we still have a few hours left until it's time to go, so-"

"Okay, sorry, my bad, I'll be outside," replied Poppy, once again leaving the house.

After she left, Branch sighed, and went to go look for a mop.

"And I thought the _Troll-2-Troll_ thing was dangerous," he muttered.

################

A few hours later, he and Poppy were now heading away from the village, and down to Bergen Town.

"You smell fruity," said Poppy, as they took the wooden elevator down.

"Thanks for helping with that," replied Branch, letting out a small chuckle.

"Sure," said Poppy, also laughing a little bit. "So, you were dreaming about... that day again?"

Branch nodded his head. "It comes and goes sometimes, but... I'm used to it now."

"How so?"

"Cause when I wake up, I remember that I have something special to look forward to."

Poppy smiled, and blushed a little as Branch said, "So, tired of being a queen yet?"

"Huh? Oh, _pfft..._ no way!" Poppy replied. "I mean, yeah, it gets _really hard and difficult_ sometimes, but I just keep getting back up again."

"Um... okay..." said Branch, who had yet to hear Poppy's travel song. "So how did-"

"Hey, guys, glad you could come!"

Noticing that the elevator stopped, Poppy and Branch saw Bridget and Gristle a few feet away, waving and smiling.

"You sure it's not too late to go back?"

 _"Branch!"_

"I was just _kidding,_ sheesh," joked the blue troll as they walked towards their Bergen friends. "Lighten up, your Highness."

 _"Ha, ha, very funny,"_ replied Poppy.

Bridget chuckled, and said, "You two make a cute couple."

"Oh, we're not a couple," said Branch, quickly, before a blushing Poppy could respond. "This is just a one time thing."

"Oh..." said Bridget. "My mistake."

As Poppy's smile began to change into a sad frown, Branch said, "I mean... uh... so, how's running the kingdom, Gristle?"

"Huh? Oh, great, everyone's happy now that we don't have to resort to eating you guys in order to-"

" _Gristle..._ " Bridget said, smirking while raising an eyebrow.

"No, no, it's all right," chuckled Branch. "We were there when it happened, remember?"

Turning to Poppy, he smiled, and began to sing the song they had performed that day.

 _I got this feeling_

 _Inside my bones_

But Poppy just gave a small grin as she replied, "Yeah. Fun time."

Branch frowned, confused. "You okay, Poppy?"

The Troll Queen nodded her head, saying, "Yeah. Great. Let's go."

Gristle and Bridget looked at each other, and the Bergen king said, "Um, all right, follow us."

As the two Bergens walked towards the amusement park, Branch and Poppy followed, with the blue troll now concerned for his best friend.

"You sure you're okay?" Branch asked, also glad that she wasn't losing her colors.

Poppy said, "I told you, I'm fine... let's just enjoy our one-time day of fun."

As she continued following the Bergen couple, Branch began to realize what he had said earlier.

"Oh..."

############

 _"... snap!"_

Biggie spit out his drink, and gasped. "Mr. Dinkles!"

"Hey, careful, big guy," replied Cooper as he brought over a plate of food. "We can't leave any stains or anything."


	6. Making Poppy Happy

**Trolls: New Adventures**

 _Chapter 6 - Making Poppy Happy_

 _Author's Note: DreamWorks is the rightful owner of "Trolls", while I own the story._

 _######################_

It didn't take long for Branch to realize he had messed up with Poppy, once they had arrived at the amusement park.

"So what should we do first, guys?" King Gristle, Jr. asked. "The roller coaster, Twirt-a-Whirl, the UFO spinner?"

"Ooh, or how about the Viking Boat ride," suggested Bridget. "Maybe the Spinning Teacups?"

Branch chuckled, and said, "I think we should take a look at the go-karts, or maybe the bumper cars."

As for Poppy, she simply shrugged her shoulders. "Eh."

"Uh, you okay, Poppy?" Bridget asked, confused as to why she wasn't her usual self right now.

"Fine," replied the pink troll. "Just enjoying this one day of fun. Yeah."

 _Okay, that's enough,_ thought Branch, and he grabbed her hand. "Excuse us for a moment, you guys."

He then led her away to the park's entrance, and asked, "Poppy, what is the problem?"

"Oh, there's no problem," replied Poppy, starting to frown. "Just getting through this wonderful day of one-time fun."

"Okay, first of all, sarcasm is _my thing_ ," said Branch. "And second, you know I didn't mean any of that stuff."

Poppy crossed her arms, and asked, "So, why did you say it then?"

"Cause I was afraid of the truth coming out, okay?"

"And what is that?"

"That I have a cr-" began Branch, but then, he instantly shut his mouth.

As for Poppy, however, her interest was now peaked. "Come again?"

"Nothing."

Poppy gave him a smirk. _"Branch..."_

"Look, just drop it, Poppy."

"Okay, fine," shrugged Poppy. "I'll just act all miserable and stuff, lose my colors, go home this way, and you'll have everyone be upset with you for being the cause of it, they'll probably ruin your house, and-"

Branch groaned, and said, " _Okay, okay, I get it... (sigh)..._ Ilikeyou."

"I'm sorry?"

The blue troll rolled his eyes, and said, "I... like you... Poppy... okay? There, I said it."

Then, all of a sudden, the pink troll wrapped Branch in her arms, bringing him into a bear hug, and she started spinning around in a circle.

" _Poppy, save the spinning for the rides_!"

She stopped, and released Branch from her bear hug, with the blue troll shaking his head a little to avoid feeling dizzy.

"So, you... _like_ me?"

A blushing Branch replied, "That's one way of putting it, yes... so, you better now?"

Poppy smiled, and nodded her head. "So that's another reason why you kept all my invitations?"

"One of them, yes..."

"And why you sang that you loved me before you changed colors?"

"Sort of, but- _oof_!"

Poppy hugged him again, and Branch sighed, saying, "Just don't tell anyone else, okay?"

"Why not?"

" _Poppy, promise me you will not tell anyone I said that I like you._ "

The young Troll said, "Branch, please, I-"

 _"Poppy..."_

"Okay, all right, I promise," replied Poppy, as she stepped back. "Happy?"

Branch chuckled, and said, "It's a start."

As he started walking back to their friends, Poppy triumphantly pumped her fists in the air. _Yes!_

############

"You seem better, Poppy," said Gristle, once the two trolls had returned.

"Yeah, sorry about that," chuckled Poppy. "I'm _way better_ now... and I think we should hit the UFO ride first."

" _Yes_!" Gristle said, excited because that had been one of his choices.

Branch replied, "All right, but I get to choose the next ride."

So, a few minutes later, they were all inside the UFO, laid back against the wall.

"What does this ride do again?" asked Branch.

Gristle laughed, and replied, "Oh, you two will both see..."

The two trolls frowned, confused, but when the ride began to activate, they quickly learned what he meant.

"I... can't... move..." said Branch, feeling like he was glued to the wall. "What is this?!"

"Wow, this is great!" Poppy cried, who had her body and limbs in different positions.

 _"Whoo-hoo!"_ Gristle and Bridget shouted, in excitement.

################

Next up was the spinning teacups.

"So, how exactly do you get these things to spin faster?" Branch asked.

As the ride turned on, Gristle began turning the circular disc platform in front of them. "You just do this as fast as you can, and the teacup picks up speed really quickly."

"Oooh, ooh, I wanna try!" Poppy cried, and she began using her hair to turn the platform.

As they began spinning around faster and faster with each tug that Poppy gave, Branch held onto the seat fabric as tight as he possibly could.

 _ **Several Minutes Later...**_

 _"Branch? How many flowers you see on my hair band?"_

The eyes of the blue troll continued to spin around as he mumbled, "Er... eight?"

Poppy chuckled, and said, "Close enough."

As she helped him off the ride, Branch said, "Okay, can we go on a ride that _doesn't_ spin in any way whatsoever?"

"You're not getting sick, are you?" asked Poppy.

Branch shook his head. "But I don't wanna risk anything."

"Well, how about the ferris wheel?" suggested Bridget.

"Perfect!" Both Branch and Poppy replied, but for different reasons, and when she heard Branch agree with her, the pink troll looked at him happily.

"Uh, what are you doing?" asked Branch.

 _###############_

Meanwhile, back at Branch's house, the two house sitters were currently trying to make an important bet.

Or, at least, important to them.

"I bet you 20 strawberries that Branch is gonna come home _without_ getting any kind of kiss from Poppy," said Cooper.

"Oh, ho, is that what you think?" Biggie exclaimer. "Well, then, I say that he _does_ come back here with a kiss that he'll recieve from her."

They shook each other's hands, and began cleaning up their now-finished plates of food... until they heard Mr. Dinkles let out a small squeak.

"Mr. Dinkles?" asked Biggie. "What are you doing in Branch's roo-"

 _Celebrate freedom from the Bergens!_

"Hold up a sec," said Cooper. "Didn't Poppy's invitation say something like that?"


	7. Love is in Bloom - Part 1

**Trolls: New Adventures**

 _Chapter 7 - Love is in Bloom_

 _Author's Note: "Trolls" is owned by DreamWorks._

 _Also, I am currently recovering from a food coma (lol), but Happy Thanksgiving!_

 _##############_

A few moments later, Troll and Poppy were riding the Ferris Wheel.

"Isn't this night so beautiful?" Poppy asked, looking up at the stars in the sky.

Branch chuckled, and said, "Um, yeah, sure, beautiful..."

The pink troll giggled, then sighed happily as she casually laid her head against Branch's shoulder.

"Whoa, hey, easy, Poppy," said Branch, helping her sit up straight. "The night's barely started, and you're already tired?"

"Wha- no, I just... never mind..." replied Poppy, trying to avoid rolling her eyes.

Branch frowned in confusion, for a moment, before he shrugged and looked back up at the sky.

 _"So..."_

He looked at Poppy. "What?"

"How long have you _liked_ me?"

Branch sighed, but he didn't want to risk upsetting her again. "It was sometime after receiving all those glitter-spitting, scrapbooked invitations from you."

Poppy laughed, and said, "Oh, come on, not _all of them_ shot out glitter."

Branch gave her a look, as if to say, _"Really?"_

 _ **[Flashback]**_

 _"Ooh, wait, Grey Troll!"_

 _Young Branch frowned, and replied, "My_ _ **name**_ _is Branch..."_

 _"Sorry, my bad," apologized Young Poppy. "But here ya go, I am officially inviting you to my 1st party!"_

 _She handed the invitation to the grey troll, who then opened it._

 _A pop-up birthday cake apppeared, along with the words "Birthday Fun!", and a small paper version of Poppy._

 _Then, a recorded voice sang, "Happy Happy Birthday!"_

 _Once it finished, the invitation shot out some glitter, which landed on Branch's non-smiling face._

 _################_

 _ **A few years later...**_

 _"Hey! Branch!"_

 _The grey troll wiped the dirt off his hands and face as Poppy skipped over to him._

 _"What is it, Princess?"_

 _The pink troll showed him the invitation in her hands, which then revealed a pop-up of Santa Claus, who sang, "We can make a beautiful Christmas!"_

 _And then, a Christmas tree pop-up appeared, with the tree on top spitting out glitter that went all over Branch's face._

 _"Fun, right?" Poppy asked._

 _##############_

 _ **A few months before the 20th Anniversary Party...**_

 _"Here you go, Branch!" Biggie said. "It's Mr. Dinkles' birthday tomorrow."_

 _Branch looked at the trolls' handmade invitation, and said, "Um... thanks?"_

 _"Sure thing" The large troll said, smiling happily as he walked away. "See you there!"_

 _#################_

 _"Wait a minute,"_ said Poppy. "Biggie's invitation didn't spit out glitter!"

"Yeah, I know," replied Branch. "But you get what I was trying to say..."

The pink troll simply chuckled, and asked, "So, what does that make us, then?"

"Um..." replied Branch, who was blushing a little bit. "I don't know... I'm new at this sort of stuff, Poppy."

"You don't even have any type of amazing poetry to tell me about my eyes or anything?"

Branch said, "Hey, I got to be in the moment for that, all right? Don't be getting pushy or anything."

"All right, all right," said Poppy, who then gave him a hug. "I'm having a fun time with you so far, Branch."

As their ride was beginning to reach its conclusion, Branch gave her a warm smile. "Yeah... me, too..."

He then continued looking up at the starry night, wondering if-

 _Wise men say only fools rush in_

 _But I can't help falling in love with you_

He turned to look at Poppy, who smiled, and continued to sing.

 _Shall I say would it be a sin_

 _(Be a sin)_

 _If I can't help falling in love with you_

Branch just chuckled, shaking his head, but found himself singing along.

 _Like a river flows_

 _To the sea_

 _So it goes_

 _Some things are meant to be_

 _[Poppy] Some things are meant to be_

 _[Both]_

 _Take my hand (take my hand)_

 _Take my whole life too (life too)_

 _For I can't help falling in love with you_

The two trolls were close to each other, but then, when Poppy closed her eyes, and started moving forward, Branch immediately backed away.

"Um... we should probably keep this night going, right?"

Poppy sighed, but as they got down from their seats, she nodded her head.

"Yeah, let's keep the fun going!"

Branch smiled, and replied, "All right, let's go!"

Taking her by the hand, the blue troll led Poppy over to the-

"Guys!"

The two of them stopped moving, and Branch said, "Was that who I think it is?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Poppy asked.

"Oh, man, I am _so happy_ to find you both," said the newcomer, making his way towards them.

Branch then began to frown, and he asked, "What exactly are _you_ doing here?"


	8. Love is in Bloom - Part 2

**Trolls: New Adventures**

 _Chapter 8 - Love Is In Bloom, Part 2_

 _Author's Note: DreamWorks is the rightful owner of "Trolls", and I own the story._

 _###############_

 _"Aaack!"_

Branch simply chuckled as Poppy used her hair strands to choke the Troll who had betrayed them.

 _"Poppy, please,"_ gasped Creek. _"I'm sorry... for everything..."_

Then, the queen released Creek from her grip, with Branch thinking, _Shoot..._

"Thank you, Poppy," said Creek, rubbing his neck. "I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, well... don't get used to it," replied Poppy. "How did you even escape Chef?"

Before Creek could respond, Branch said, "You mind giving the short version, pal? We don't exactly have the budget for flashbacks."

Poppy looked at him, confused, while Creek sighed, and said, "Okay, well, after the pot thingy stopped moving, she tried to eat me, but then the ground opened up underneath us, and we realized that a monster was preparing to **eat** us!"

"Apparantly it didn't get the job done," muttered Branch.

"So, how did you escape?" Poppy asked.

Creek replied, "Well, when the two of us fell in, she released from her grip, and I was able to grab onto the litle thing that looks like a punching bag-"

 _"Okay, we get it,"_ replied Branch. "No need to disgust us even further."

"Understood," said Creek. "And may I say, Poppy, that you look _very well_ tonight."

As Branch began to frown, Poppy couldn't help but blush. "Um... t-thank you, Creek, I... _*gasp* Branch!"_

 _"Aaack!"_

The blue troll continued to choke Creek until Poppy cried, "Branch, you stop this right now!"

"But he-"

" _Branch!"_

He rolled his eyes, and released his grip on Creek, who wheezed, "I'm gonna need a new neck after this!"

Branch then said, "All right, _whoo hoo,_ you aren't dead, but don't think it's gonna be that easy for us to just-"

"You want to come back to the Tree with us?" Poppy asked.

Branch felt like his mouth had fallen to the ground, while Creek said, "I will be forever grateful for this, Poppy."

"Just hold up a sec there, Aura Boy," said Branch, who then pulled Poppy over to the side.

"What?" The Troll Queen asked.

"You _seriously_ can't have already forgiven him for what he did to us," hissed Branch.

"Well, not entirely," replied Poppy. "But everyone deserves a second chance."

Before Branch could speak, Creek said, "Look, Branch, I know you aren't really fond of me, and I understand that... but I am not, in any way, planning to betray you all again."

The blue troll replied, "Well, thank for you apologizing, but it's gonna take more than that to get on my good side."

"Fair enough," said Creek. "Then, on that note, I believe I should head back to the Tree myself, and allow you two to continue your romantic evening."

Although he was feeling annoyed, Branch couldn't help but blush as he said, "We're just on a _date_ , Creek..."

"Like I said, a romantic night together," replied the purple troll. "I'll just be waiting by the Tree for your return."

He gave Branch a salute, and said, "Good luck, Casanova."

Branch mumbled angrily as Creek walked away, while Poppy found herself starting to laugh.

"What's so funny, your _Higness_?"

Poppy replied, "I can't believe that you're actually jealous!"

"Wha... I... hey, I do _not_ get jealous, Poppy," replied Branch.

"Oh, really?" Poppy asked, raising an eyebrow. "So, you don't mind if I go after Creek to-"

"What... _yes, I mind, you're on a date with me_!" exclaimed Branch.

Poppy started laughing again, saying, "Aw, you are _so_ adorable right now!"

Branch just remained quiet and irritated until he said, "I just don't want him to-"

"Oh, just come here already," replied Poppy, as she grabbed him by his coat, and brought him close to her.

"Hey! Poppy, what are you-" began Branch, but he immediately stopped when he felt her lips connect with his.

 _###############_

 _"Oh, my gosh..."_ said Biggie, as he and Cooper began putting back the invitations that Branch had kept.

"What? What's going on?" Cooper asked.

Biggie replied, "I have no idea... but I think something wonderful just happened to Poppy."

 _"Hooray!"_ squeaked Mr. Dinkles.

################

 _Branch?_

 _..._

 _Brrraaannccchhh?_

 _..._

 _"Branch!"_

The blue troll snapped out of his trance, and found himself staring at Poppy.

"You okay?" The Troll Queen asked.

"Uh-huh," replied Branch. "And did you just... um... kiss me?"

Poppy blushed as she said, "Well, _duh_... now you don't have any reason to be jealous anymore."

"I don't... ugh..." said Branch. "Okay, Poppy, but can we keep having some fun?"

Poppy giggled, and said, "Sure thing, Branchy."


	9. Heading Home

**Trolls: New Adventures**

 _Chapter 9 - Heading Home_

 _Author's Note_ : DreamWorks and FOX are the rightful owners of _Trolls,_ while I just own the story.

* * *

 _People of Earth... did you really think you'd seen the last of me? I've been watching you... waiting... and soon, your world will be-_

"Uh... Branch? Who are you talking to?"

The young troll sighed, and he cried out, " _Way to go, Poppy, you ruined everything!"_

Shaking his head, Branch continued by saying, "Hi, everyone. Sorry we've been gone for so long, we just had some issues regarding-"

"What do you mean I ruined it?" asked Poppy, walking into the room, and Branch let out a groan.

"Mostly it had to do with her being a nuisance to some people... and, since you're here, Poppy, say hello."

Poppy turned to look at what was in front of her, and she tilted her head to the side. "Who are they?"

"They're fans of our story, Poppy," replied Branch. "And I've been explaining how-"

"Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello-"

"Geez, Poppy, what the heck are you doing?" exclaimed Branch, looking at her as if she was insane.

"I'm saying _hello_ to everyone... _duh_ ," replied Poppy. "Hello! Hello! Hello - whoa!"

Having heard enough from her, Branch picked Poppy up, and threw her to the side before turning his attention back to the audience. "Now, again, I apologize-"

 _[CRASHING SOUNDS]_

"Don't worry, she'll be fine... okay, to make a long story short, we are gonna-"

"Hey, Branch? How do you know if-"

The blue-colored troll sighed, and he turned to look at his best friend. "Poppy, I don't mean to sound rude, but I am trying to explain to everyone why we-"

Suddenly, all of the lights turned off, and Poppy said, "Oh, _yeah_... I forgot to mention that I landed in the electric-"

"Never mind, Poppy, I'll fix it... _again_... enjoy the chapter, everyone."

* * *

After the amusement park had closed, Branch and Poppy had thanked Gristle and Bridget for inviting them, and were now making their way back to the tree.

"So, we _are_ a couple now, right?"

Pretending to be confused, Branch asked, "A couple of what?"

Poppy rolled her eyes, and replied, "Oh, you know what I mean."

"Er, I... guess so, Poppy," said Branch, giving her a small shrug. "But this is more like the _best friend_ stage, so... _maybe_... over time... we can get to the actual, uh, _couple_ stage."

Poppy let out a squeal of excitement, and began hopping up and down several times.

"Alright, no more cotton candy for you," said Branch, a smirk on his face, but it quickly went away when they had finally reached the tree. "Oh... _you're still here, huh?_ "

Creek was currently floating in the air, thanks to his hair, and his body was in a meditating position. " _Ooh,_ I am sensing some negative energy coming from you, Branch. That would not be good for your body."

"Well, I _am_ talking to the guy who betrayed us and his fellow trolls just so he could save his own life," reminded Branch. "So, uh, yeah, I am feeling a little negative right now."

Creek sighed, and after adjusting his hair back to normal, the young troll said, "Then, I completely understand, my friend... hopefully that can change over time."

Branch just gave him another shrug, and watched as Creek went up to the top of the tree, heading into his home.

"You _really_ don't trust him, do you?"

Before going up there himself, Branch turned to look at Poppy, and he replied, "I trust him, like, almost 20% right now, Poppy... I'm surprised that everyone else already chose to forgive him so quickly."

"Well, we _have_ known him longer and... more better than you, I guess," said Poppy.

"Oh, so _that's_ why," muttered Branch, and the two of them both headed up to the top of the tree.

Then, before going her seperate way, Poppy gave Branch a hug, and said, "Thank you for this super duper awesome and fun night, Branch. It means a lot."

Branch let out a chuckle, and hugged her back. "Sure, no problem, Poppy... anything for our new queen."

Then, after he waved good-bye to her, Branch began to head back to his own house, arriving just in time to see Biggie, Cooper, and Mr. Dinkles about to leave.

"So, how did it go, Branch?" asked Biggie.

The young troll smiled, and he answered, "Lots of fun, big guy. I'll tell you tomorrow, though... if Poppy hasn't by then... I'm just a little tired, right now."

"Aw, no sweat, man, you go and do your thing, and we'll do ours," said Cooper, and after he and Biggie walked away, Branch finally returned to his home, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, it's so _good_ to be _home_!"

But then, he realized that he forgot to thank Biggie and Cooper for watching his house, so Branch was about to go back outside when he stopped in front of the door, and shook his head.

"Oh, no, no, no, no... nuh-uh, not gonna fall for it this ti-"

Branch's sentence was cut off when Poppy suddenly barged into the house, saying, "Oh, Branch, you forgot your ticket! Here ya go! Night!"

Then, she closed the door on her way out, not knowing that Branch was now laying back against the wall, feeling nothing but pain.

" _How_ does that keep _happening_?"


End file.
